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Chapter 3

           Slatteryhatedhisneighborswithwhatlittleenergyhepossessed,sensingtheircontemptbeneaththeircourtesy,andespeciallydidhehate"richfolks’uppityniggers."ThehousenegroesoftheCountyconsideredthemselvessuperiortowhitetrash,andtheirunconcealedscornstunghim,whiletheirmoresecurepositioninlifestirredhisenvy.Bycontrastwithhisownmiserableexistence,theywerewell-fed,well-clothedandlookedafterinsicknessandoldage.Theywereproudofthegoodnamesoftheirownersand,forthemostpart,proudtobelongtopeoplewhowerequality,whilehewasdespisedbyall.

           TomSlatterycouldhavesoldhisfarmforthreetimesitsvaluetoanyoftheplantersintheCounty.Theywouldhaveconsidereditmoneywellspenttoridthecommunityofaneyesore,buthewaswellsatisfiedtoremainandtosubsistmiserablyontheproceedsofabaleofcottonayearandthecharityofhisneighbors.

           WithalltherestoftheCounty,Geraldwasontermsofamityandsomeintimacy.TheWilkeses,theCalverts,theTarletons,theFontaines,allsmiledwhenthesmallfigureonthebigwhitehorsegallopeduptheirdriveways,smiledandsignaledfortallglassesinwhichaponyofBourbonhadbeenpouredoverateaspoonofsugarandasprigofcrushedmint.Geraldwaslikable,andtheneighborslearnedintimewhatthechildren,negroesanddogsdiscoveredatfirstsight,thatakindheart,areadyandsympatheticearandanopenpocketbooklurkedjustbehindhisbawlingvoiceandhistruculentmanner.

           Hisarrivalwasalwaysamidabedlamofhoundsbarkingandsmallblackchildrenshoutingastheyracedtomeethim,quarrelingfortheprivilegeofholdinghishorseandsquirmingandgrinningunderhisgood-naturedinsults.

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